It can be easy to dream of a vacation after a hard day at work. Maybe your ideal vacation is on a tropical island. Some Americans think of Hawai’i when they think of an ideal island vacation.
Since 1959 Hawai’i has been a state. It was a U.S. territory. It was an independent country before that. Hawai’i did not want to become part of the United States. The country was against it.
Many people think that traveling to Hawai’i for a vacation is a favorite since they assume the islands can’t survive without tourism. One TikToker wants tourists to know that this is not the case.
She is a Native Hawaiian. She wants to educate people through TikTok about issues that affect residents of the Pacific islands.
A couple from Louisiana touched a monk seal on their honeymoon in Kauai, and she uses an example in one of her videos. The husband took a picture of his wife touching the seal, and they had to pay a $50,000 fine.
There are signs on the beaches stating that you can’t touch a monk seal, but the couple claimed that they didn’t know about it. She says tourists need to research the laws before they go on vacation. Tourists who are going to disrespect the laws should go back to their homes.
She says that Native Hawaiians don’t benefit from tourist money because they are overworked and underpaid.
Although she doesn’t think it’s possible for tourists to visit Hawai’i without doing any harm, she does offer some advice for those who are determined to visit anyway. If possible, she suggests staying with family or friends who live in Hawai’i. She recommends against staying at hotels that are not owned by Native Hawaiians. She explains that it is important to respect the land and leave things the way you found them. Don’t litter, and don’t take rocks or sand from the beach.
Have you ever been to Hawai’i on vacation? Do you think tourists should stop visiting?